Digital Shoelace End Wrapping for Accurate Low-Tension Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoelace end wrapping machines are heavy, occupy large space, difficult to adjust, and result in significant length errors due to fiber tension during shoelace cutting, making them inefficient and hard to repair.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent digital shoelace end wrapping machine that processes a strap and plastic roll into shoelaces, utilizing a platform unit, material supply unit, shoelace end wrapping unit, and control unit to automate and quantify the process, reducing tension and length errors through a controlled material guiding path and digital control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional shoelace end wrapping machine is used, then shoelace production can be achieved, but the machine is heavy and occupies large space
Solution Approach 1:
The machine is divided into modular functional units including a material supply unit with independent roller assemblies, a shoelace end wrapping unit with heating and tightening components, and a control unit. Each module can be independently positioned and adjusted, reducing the need for a large rigid frame structure and thereby reducing overall machine weight and space occupation while maintaining production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The material supply roller assembly serves multiple functions: conveying the strap, controlling material feed rate, and positioning the strap for processing. The heating unit not only softens the plastic roll but also facilitates the wrapping and tightening process. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, leading to a more compact and lighter machine design.
2Productivity
If a traditional shoelace end wrapping machine is used, then shoelace production can be achieved, but the machine is difficult to adjust and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is separated as an independent module with digital controls, allowing for easy calibration and adjustment of processing parameters without disassembling the entire machine. The modular design enables individual components to be accessed and repaired independently, significantly improving ease of maintenance and repair while preserving continuous production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine incorporates adjustable and replaceable components such as the material supply roller assembly and heating unit, which can be easily repositioned or replaced based on different production requirements. This dynamic design allows for quick adjustments and simplifies repair operations without compromising production efficiency.
3Strength
If great tension is applied during tightening process, then the plastic roll can be wrapped around the strap, but significant length error occurs in shoelaces after cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The heating unit applies thermal energy to soften the plastic roll material, changing its physical state from rigid to pliable. This allows the plastic to be wrapped around the strap under reduced tension, preventing fiber elongation and maintaining shoelace length accuracy while still achieving adequate wrapping tightness for structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat acts as an intermediary that facilitates the wrapping process by temporarily altering the material properties of the plastic roll. This intermediary approach enables the wrapping to occur with minimal tension on the strap, thereby preventing length errors while still achieving the necessary tightness for proper shoelace formation.
4Productivity
If automated control is implemented, then production efficiency can be improved, but the machine becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves as a centralized digital brain that manages multiple functions including material feed rate control, heating temperature regulation, wrapping tension control, and cutting synchronization. By consolidating these control functions into a single programmable unit, the system achieves high automation and production efficiency without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine reduces length errors, minimizes space occupation, and facilitates easy adjustment and repair, enabling automated and flexible operation with customizable settings.
Implementation Method 1
a shoelace end wrapping unit for softening and tightening a portion of the plastic roll conveyed by the plastic roll feeding assembly around a portion of the strap conveyed by the material feeding roller assembly
Implementation Method 2
a material feeding roller assembly disposed on the platform unit for conveying the strap along a material guiding path
Implementation Method 3
a plastic roll feeding assembly disposed on the platform unit for conveying the plastic roll
Implementation Method 4
a shoelace end wrapping unit for softening and tightening a portion of the plastic roll conveyed by the plastic roll feeding assembly around a portion of the strap
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent digital shoelace end wrapping machine for processing a strap and a plastic roll into a plurality of shoelaces includes a material supply unit including a material feeding roller assembly for conveying the strap and having a strap guiding pulley for the strap to pass therethrough and then naturally falls down, a plastic roll feeding assembly for conveying the plastic roll, and a material supply drive assembly for driving the material feeding roller assembly and the plastic roll feeding assembly. A shoelace end wrapping unit is operable to soften and tighten a portion of the plastic roll around a portion of the strap, and then to cut the tightened portion of the strap to thereby form a shoelace. A control unit is signally connected to the material supply drive assembly and the shoelace end wrapping unit.